This invention relates to packaging systems and in particular, to a material handling system for the shipment and storage of high volume products or components. The invention is described in detail with respect to dynamoelectric machines, but those skilled in the art will recognize the wider applicability of the invention disclosed hereinafter.
Dynamoelectric machines, for example, induction motor of various forms often are manufactured for sale to original equipment manufacturers who employ the motors in their own particular products. It has been common in the motor industry to ship electric motors in conventional, corrugated paperboard packages. While these packages work well for their intended purposes, they exhibit a number of inherent deficiencies. Thus, the paperboard packages tend to absorb moisture over a period of time. Desiccants, commonly added to the paper packages, do protect the metallic motors in the packages for relatively short periods of time. However, desiccants generally used for this purpose become ineffective over longer time periods and prolonged storage of electric motors in paperboard containers often results in rusted parts. All of the conventional paperboard package components, in addition to the desiccant containers, require disposal after use, generating a considerable waste removal problem for the original equipment manufacturer. Finally, it is not uncommon to have the motors shift during transit, requiring relatively costly retesting and replacement of damaged parts.
A number of solutions to the waste disposal, environmental effect on motor parts, and container designs for shipping damage prevention have been proposed. One packaging system particularly useful in protecting hermetic motor parts is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. to Repp and Brown, No. 3,904,030. While the system of that patent works well, it represents a comparatively high cost design. Such a system is justified with hermetic motor parts because of the high environmental purity which must be maintained with hermetic motor parts. Large volume motors finding applications, for example, in washing machines, dryers and other such consumer appliances, however, do not require the high degree of protection against environmental conditions required for hermetic motors, although some such protection is desirable. In addition, these motors generally are lower cost, and the high cost packaging system, although returnable, is disproportionate to the selling price of the motors over the useful life of the packaging system.
The invention disclosed hereinafter overcomes these prior art difficulties by providing a low cost, simply designed packaging system, the major components of which are returnable to the initial supplier. While some waste material is associated with the system, it is a minor disposal problem in comparison to conventional corrugated packaging systems discussed above. In addition, those components of the packaging system returnable to the initial manufacturer represent a small volume of the total fully loaded packaging system. Volume reduction is accomplished primarily through the use of relatively thin trays having generally planar opposed surfaces. The surfaces, in turn, have a predetermined number of receptacles formed in them. The receptacles along the bottom side of the tray receives the top of a first layer plurality of parts, while the receptacle along the top side of the tray receives the bottom of the succeeding layer.
One of the objects of this invention is to provide a returnable packaging system.
Another object of this invention is to provide a returnable packaging system having a simple design and low cost.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a packaging system having a reduced size when empty.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a packaging system providing environmental protection for the packaged parts.
Other objects of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the following description and accompanying drawings.